A warrior and a gentleman

FORMER EUROPEAN and Commonwealth heavyweight champion Derrick Williams paid tribute to the legendary pugilist ‘Smokin’ Joe Frazier who died on November 7 from liver cancer.

The world heavyweight champion is probably best remembered for his brutal trilogy of fights with Muhammad Ali in the seventies and Frazier - who also won an Olympic heavyweight gold medal at the 1964 Tokyo Games - fought 37 times, winning 32 (27 K.Os), with four losses and one draw.

LEGACY: Frazier and Ali fought three times

Williams told The Voice: “He’s a great loss to not only boxing but to society as well. Joe Frazier was an outstanding citizen and a man of the people. I can’t think of anyone who’d say anything bad about Joe.”

Nicknamed ‘Smokin’ due to his locomotive style of fighting, Frazier was recognised as one of the most exciting boxers of all-time.

“He was a hard ironman in the ring and a gentleman outside of it,” said Williams.

TRIBUTE: Williams

“He had has own gym in Philadelphia where he done a lot of work with the kids and took them off the streets.”

“Whether he won or he lost, he gave 100 per cent. His left hook is legendary in Philadelphia and he left a mark that people will look up to forever.”

Posted on: 08/11/2011 12:05 PM

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